The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party (originally known as The Boys Next Door) was an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983. Despite being championed by producer John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching. While their early music was sometimes classified as gothic rock, the band disdained the term, and their sound was very different from most goth music, closer to No Wave.
The nucleus of the band first met at the private boys school Caulfield Grammar School, in suburban Melbourne, in the early seventies. A group was formed in 1973, with Nick Cave (vocals), Mick Harvey (guitar) and Phill Calvert (drums... Continue Bio >>